Jeet Heer writes that Trump… is a bellwether for America’s political future.
I misread that as “bedwetter.”
Waiting now for an article on how Sanders has already changed everything.
The word “bellwether” brought to mind these Bellwethers from DC comics:
No doubt, Donald Drumpf is indeed a castrated ram leading around a flock of sheep.
This goes along with what I have been thinking. Donald Trump can’t win at this point he creates too much of an adverse reaction in people. Even people who agree with him in general. But he created the blueprint for the next one to tweak and follow. and that will be the Fascist Americans will elect.
Has Trump really changed things or has he simply exploited a mindset of “all government is evil” that’s been pushed for decades now? It seems to me like a bit of both. He’s undeniably had an influence but Rubio and Cruz also pushed the “Don’t trust Washington!” line and then were surprised when they lost huge numbers of would-be supporters to someone who wasn’t a Senator.
If it makes you feel better, I read it as Jeeter.
So together we’re talking about Derek Jeeter saying Trump is a bedwetter. I think this is a much more interesting story already.
From the very start Trump’s base has struck me as being the american version of Britain’s UKIP and France’s National Front. Basically national socialists - social programs like healthcare for the “right and deserving” people like themselves and a boot on the throat for the “wrong” people - basically any minority, especially brown foreigners.
Reagan’s big tent philosophy has made the GOP inclusive of those types, pandering to them even, for far too long. I think the best thing that could happen to the GOP is for Trump to lose the nomination and for him to start a 3rd party in retaliation, taking his base with him. That would let the GOP purge themselves of that element, let them stop with the dog-whistle politics and actually be principled conservatives.
But I’m not sure that an official “American National Front” party, unconstrained by any other moderating principles, would be a good thing for the country as a whole.
The Southern Strategy never went away. This is the same fight we’ve been fighting since the 50’s. By “changed everything,” the New Republic means “reminded everyone of what was always going on.”
Since the 1850s.
The thing is, the same is true of Clinton; she’s just as polarizing as Trump. There are at least as many voters who hate her as who love her. I’ve heard people who I think of as progressives say that if it comes down to Clinton vs Trump, they’re going with Trump. I can’t remember an election where both likely candidates were as reviled as Trump and Clinton, even by people who should be within their supporters. It’s going to be an interesting election.
It’s such a travesty that those who control the Democratic Party seem blind to how much better Sanders would likely do against Trump, or against any other Republican.
You’d be cranky too if some weird old dude came out of nowhere and wanted to undo the way you’ve done things for decades, and take away all the money that supports you. Especially if he’s sort of pretending to be one of you. Remember, the Party (either one) doesn’t really care about the election, or democracy, or anything except continuing to keep control of the Party machine.
I seriously think Sanders would do better if he could channel Teddy Roosevelt… Bull Moose Progressives 2016!
Bernie’s already all over it!
It’s a lot easier to say that before the primaries are over.
I’m sure there are some people who think that way. Just a few days ago Susan Sarandon said she would probably do the same, but her theory was that a Clinton presidency would enable people to ignore the problems of the status quo while a Trump presidency would precipitate a crisis that could not be ignored.
The Washington Post recently did an article on the topic of cross-over voters:
No, she didn’t.
Likely not. Seems to me that many of them would just stay home, instead of choking back that taste of vomit that would arise from voting for Mrs Clinton. But then, I suppose some would jump a different fence, by voting for Jill Stein.
